Cigarette construction or the like



June 1957 H. J. GAESMAN 3,324,861

CIGARETTE CONSTRUCTIQN OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 22, 3.965

INVENTOR HEN/ J. GAME/W4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,324,861 CIGARETTE CONSTRUCTION OR THE LEKE Henry J. Gaisman, Hartsdale, N.Y. 10530 Fiied Jan. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 427,236 17 Claims. (Cl. 131-103) The present invention relates to the construction of an object to be smoked, and in particular to one in which the amount of smoke drawn into the users mouth may be controlled by the user.

The potentially harmful effect of cigarette smoke or the like, when drawn into the lungs of an individual, has been the subject of much investigation, and a considerably body of opinion exists to the effect that such smoke is deleterious to health. Nevertheless, the act of smoking is believed to be associated with psychological and societal needs in many individuals, and it is well known that a large proportion of smokers find it practically impossible to give up smoking even though they are aware of the potential risks to health which that smoking entails.

The object of the present invention is to devise an object to be smoked, here specifically disclosed in the form of a cigarette, which is designed to satisfy the users psychological need for oral satisfaction and to satisfy such societal requirements as may exist at a given time or place with respect to smoking, while at the same time placing it completely under the control of the smoker whether, when and to what extent he actually smokes in the sense of drawing tobacco into his system, and whether, when and to what extent he is able to obtain oral satisfaction and give the appearance of smoking without actually drawing any smoke into his system.

More specifically, the present invention comprises a smoking device such as a cigarette which contains tobacco and which can be lit and will burn in a manner substantially similar to that of conventional cigarettes. Means are provided for permitting the user of the object to place it within his mouth and to puff on it. The cigarette is so constructed that, in its normal condition, when the user puffs he will draw into his mouth only air and not tobacco smoke, despite the fact that the tobacco in the cigarette is lit and burning, and despite the fact that the cigarette is externally indistinguishable from a conventional cigarette. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the cigarette can be readily modified by the user at any time so as to permit tobacco smoke as well as air to be drawn into his mouth when he puffs, and the amount of smoke actually drawn into the mouth of the user may also be controlled. Thus the act of smoking, insofar as it satisfies societal requirements and produces oral satisfaction, may be carried out without any of the dangers associated with the actual inhalation of tobacco smoke, and if and when the desire for actual tobacco smoke inhalation becomes controlling, the cigarette can be readily modified by the user to provide for such essentially conventional smoking action.

These results are accomplished by providing, in an object to be smoked such as a cigarette, a tobacco section and a mouthpiece section separated by a smoke-impermeable partition section, all enclosed within a wrapper so that the cigarette has, for all practical purposes, a completely conventional appearance. The wrapper hides from view the sectional nature of the object, and in particular makes it impossible to learn of the existence of the partition section by external visual inspection. The wrapper is provided with one or more small openings, preferably substantially invisible, in registration with the mouthpiece section, through which openings air can freely pass. Thus when the tobacco section is lit and the cigarette 3,324,861 Patented June 13, 1967 ICC is placed in a users month he can draw on the mouthpiece, and in so doing air will pass through the wrapper into the mouthpiece section and then into the mouth of the smoker. However, the smoke from the burning to bacco section is prevented by the partition section from entering the mouth of the smoker. The mouthpiece section may contain means for flavoring the air with any desired taste, thereby enhancing the feeling of smoking and the pleasure of using the object of the present invention. In order to facilitate the burning of the tobacco section in a conventional and realistic manner, the wrapper may be provided with openings, preferably substantially invisible, register-ing with the tobacco section adjacent the partition section, thus permitting a fiow of combustion-aiding air through the tobacco section.

Preferably means are also provided, under control of the user of the object, to permit tobacco smoke to pass through the partition section. In one form here illustrated the partition section is provided with a hole which is plugged by a member accessible at the mouthpiece end of the cigarette, and when that member is withdrawn from the cigarette the hole through the partition section is opened and tobacco smoke is permitted to pass therethrough. In another and preferred illustrated embodiment the partition section is formed of a brittle and preferably fr-iable material and radial pressure exerted thereon through the cigarette wrapper will cause the partition section to crumble, thereby permitting tobacco smoke to pass therethrough. This friability effect is believed advantageous in two regards: the degree to which the partition section is crumbled will control the amount of smoke which actually enters the mouth of the user, and the partition section can be formed of substances which, when crumbled, will exert a filtering effect on the smoke which passes therethrough.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construct-ion of a smoking device as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a typical embodiment of the present invention in cigarette form;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing, in semi-schematic illustrative form, the partition section after it has been crumbled.

While the present invention is here specifically disclosed in cigarette form, it will be appreciated that that is by way of exemplification only, and that it is also adaptable for use in other objects to be smoked, such as cigars.

As here specifically disclosed the cigarette comprises a wrapper 2 of paper defining an elongated tube the interior of which, insofar as the present invention is concerned, is composed of a tobacco section generally designated 4, a partition section generally designated 6, and a mouthpiece section generally designated 8, the sections 4, 6 and 8 being a in axial sequential arrangement. The tobacco section 4,

as the name implies, comprises a filling of tobacco It) contained within the wrapper 2. The mouthpiece section 8 is open at its free end 12 so that gas may pass through that end. Inside that portion of the wrapper 2 defining the mouthpiece section 8 may be a wide variety of materials, or even nothing at all, providing only that gas be able to pass through the mouthpiece section 8 inside the wrapper 2. As illustrated in the drawings the inside of the mouthpiece section 8 contains a filling 14, preferably of a type which is often employed for the filtration of tobacco smoke. However, actual tobacco could be substituted therefor or added thereto. Alternatively, if the wrapper 2 around the mouthpiece section 8 were sufficiently rigid or rigidified by some additional wrapping layer, such as the layer 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (as is conventional in the formation of known cigarette tips), the inside of the wrapper 2 at the mouthpiece section 8 could be empty. When there is material 14 inside the mouthpiece section 8 that material 14 can include, or be treated by, some suitable flavoring substance such as menthol, mint or tobacco.

The wrapper 2 is provided with one or more through openings 18 which are located in registration with the mouthpiece section 8 and are axially spaced from the mouthpiece section end 12. The size of the openings 18 may be very small (their size being shown in exaggerated fashion in the drawings for clarity of illustration), it being sufficient only that they be large enough so that air can pass therethrough from the exterior of the wrapper 2 to the interior of the mouthpiece section 8, that air then being flowable along the mouthpiece section 8 to and through the free end 12 thereof. It is preferred that the openings 18 be as small, and hence inconspicuous, as possible, so that the cigarette as here disclosed is visually indistinguishable from a conventional cigarette.

The partition section 6 may be formed of any suitable material through which tobacco smoke will not pass. Such material is designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 20. The material 20 defining the partition section 6 extends completely across the space inside the wrapper 2, thereby preventing the smoke produced when the tobacco section 4 is lit from reaching the mouthpiece section 8.

As thus far described the cigarette construction is capable of use to simulate smoking and to give to the user thereof a high degree of satisfaction without exposing him to the dangers, real or supposed, of smoking. When the tobacco section 4 is lighted it will burn in a manner simulating a conventional cigarette. (In order to facilitate this burning, it may be desired toprov-ide a number of openings 22 through the wrapper 2 in registration with the tobacco section 4 but closely adjacent the partition section 6, thereby permitting a draft of air to flow axially along the tobacco section 4 when the latter is lit. These openings 21, like the openings 18, are preferably as small and inconspicuous as possible.) When the user puts the mouthpiece section 8 in his mouth he can inhale, but when he does so he will only draw in air and not smoke, that air flowing through the apertures 18 and the interior of the mouthpiece section 8. The air which the user thus draws into his mouth can be given a taste it suitable flavoring substances are provided within the mouthpiece section 8, thus enhancing the pleasure and satisfaction which the use of the device will give.

The partition member 20, which normally prevents tobacco smoke from reaching the mouth of the user, is preferably provided with means under the control of the user to permit smoke to pass therethrough when that is desired. One such means is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The partition member 20 is there shown as provided with a through passage 24. Snugly and sealingly received in that passage 24 is an elongated member 26 such as a filament, wire or string, that member passing through the mouthpiece section 8 and having an end 28 which is exposed at the end 12 of the mouthpiece section 8. When the elongated member 26 is in place as shown it plugs the passage 24 and prevents tobacco smoke from passing through it. If the user desires to draw smoke into his mouth he need only grasp the exposed end 28 of the member 26 and withdraw the member 26 from the cigarette, thereby opening the passage 24.to the flow of tobacco smoke therethrough. That smoke will be mixed with air drawn in through the apertures 18 in the wrapper 2, so that a cool smoke will be produced and so that the concentration of tobacco smoke in the lungs of the user'will be minimized.

A second means for permitting the user to draw in smoke when he so desires, which may be used either alone or in conjunction with the withdrawable filament 26, is' illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The partition member 28 is formed of a brittle, and preferably friable, substance so that it may be broken or crumbled in whole or in part by means of pressure exerted thereon through that portion of the wrapper 2 which encloses it, said wrapper porton being sufficiently flexible (as the conventional paper wrapper of a cigarette is) in order to permit such breaking or crumbling to be eifectuated. (The term friable will be used in this specification and the claims refer to a pressure-breakable characteristic, including both crumblable and brittle substances.) Thus the partition member 20 may be formed of densely compacted charcoal granules held together by any suitable bonding ma terial. Alternatively, it has been found quite practical to form the partition member 20 of a baked cookie dough, to which granulated or powdered charcoal may be added if desired. An advantage of embodying charcoal in the friable material of which the partition member 20 is formed is that charcoal is known to be an effective filtering material for tobacco smoke, so that when the smoke flows through the crumbled portion of the partition member 20 it will, in the course of such flow, be filtered and therefore minimize such deleterious tendencies as it might have. Other substances having effective smoke filtration properties could be used instead of or in addition to charcoal. One advantage of a brittle or friable partition member 20 is that the amount of smoke which. is drawn into the users mouth may be controlled in accordance with the degree to which the partition member 20 is crumbled; a thorough crumbling will permit more smoke to pass therethrough than will a partial crumbling. FIG. 3 illustrates, in exaggerated form, the condition of the partition member 20 after it has been crumbled comparatively thoroughly.

The partition member 20 need not be a separate structural element. It could, for example, be formed by applying a smoke-impervious coating to the left hand end of the tobacco 10 in the tobacco section 4 or to the right hand end of the filler 14 in the mouthpiece section 8, or both, or by impregnating a section of an all-tobacco cigarette with a hardenable substance.

In order to increase the flexibility of use of the cigarette of the present invention and permit the user, if he so desires, to inhale smoke containing little or no free air, the holes 18 in the mouthpiece section 8 may be located considerably closely to the free end 12 of the mouthpiece section 8 than is disclosed .in the drawing, for example, at the location designated by the arrow 30 in FIG. 1. In this way if the user grasps only the very end of the mouthpiece section 8 between his lips, with the apertures 18 being located outside his lips, he will draw in air through those apertures, whereas if he places more of the mouthpiece section within his lips, so that the apertures 18 are engaged by his lips or are inside his lips, no air will be drawn therethrough and he will be able to smoke the cigarette in a completely conventional fashion once the partition member 20 has been rendered smoke permeable. With the construction of the present invention the user of a cigarette can light it and permit it to burn down to any desired degree while 'he puffs only on air, and he may then, at any time, convert the cigarette into one in which tobacco smoke is drawn into his mouth. Thus a person whose disposition is such that he needs to smoke a great deal can use cigarettes with his accustomed frequency, but can control and minimize the extent to which 'he actually smokes in the sense of drawing tobacco smoke into his system. Indeed, with this construction the ability of a person to wean himself away from actual smoking will be greatly facilitated; at the outset 'he may render the partition member 20 smoke-pervious after the cigarette has burned down for one-third of its length,' for example, thus actually smoking only twothirds of his normal amount, and he may then gradually extend the time that he permits the cigarette section 4 to burn before rendering the partition member 20 smokepervious until finally he finds that he does not need a real smoke at all.

While but a limited number of embodiments of the present invention have been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, all within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette comprising an enclosing means and, therewithin, in permanently fixed arrangement and in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration with said mouthpiece section and spaced from the free end thereof, whereby air may be drawn through said opening into the mouth of the user but smoke will be prevented by said partition from reaching the mouth of said user, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration and communicating with said tobacco section adjacent said partition and extending to the outside of said enclosing means.

2. A cigarette comprising a paper-like readily burnable enclosing means and, therewithin, in fixed axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition wall, and a mouthpiece section, said partition wall being located at the mouthpiece end of said tobacco section and completely closing said tobacco section at said end, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration with said mouthpiece section and spaced from the free end thereof, whereby air may be drawn through said opening into the mouth of the user but smoke Will be prevented by said partition from reaching the mouth of said user, and means operatively connected to said partition and effective when actuated to render said partition smoke-permeable.

3. The cigarette of claim 2, in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough.

4. The cigarette of claim 2, in which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

5. The cigarette of claim 2, in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough, and in which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said to bacco section adjacent said partition.

6. A cigarette comprising an enclosing means and, therein, in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas permeable, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration With and spaced from the free end of said mouthpiece section, whereby air may be drawn through said opening into the mouth of the user but smoke will be prevented by said partition from reaching the mouth of said user, and means operatively connected to said partition and effective when actuated to render said partition smoke-permeable, said smoke-permeable-rendering means comprises an elongated element extending through said partition and said mouthpiece section and exposed at said free end of said mouthpiece section, said element being Withdrawable from said partition, thereby to leave a smoke-permeable opening through said partition.

7. A cigarette comprising an enclosing means and, therewithin, in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas permeable exposed free end, said partition being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration with and spaced from the free end of said mouthpiece section, whereby air may be drawn through said opening into the mouth of the user but smoke will be prevented by said partition from reaching the mouth of said user, and means operatively connected to said partition and effective when actuated to render said partition smoke-permeable, said smoke-permeable-rendering means comprises an elongated element extending through said partition and said mouthp ece section and exposed at said free end of said mouthpiece section, said element being withdrawable from said partition, thereby to leave a smoke-permeable opening through said partition, and in which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

8. A cigarette comprising an enclosing means and, therewithin, in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, said enclosing means having an opening therethrough in registration with and spaced from the free end of said mouthpiece section, where-by air may be drawn through said opening into the mouth of the user but smoke will be prevented by said partition from reaching the mouth of said user, said enclosing means being flexible at least in registration with said partition, and said partition being friable, whereby it may be crumbled or broken by pressure exerted thereon through said enclosing means, thereby to permit smoke to pass therethrough.

9. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough.

10. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

11. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough, and in Which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

12. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said partition is formed of compacted charcoal, whereby, when it is crumbled or broken into smoke-permeable condition, it functions as a smoke filter.

13. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said partition is formed of compacted charcoal, whereby, when it is crumbled or broken into smoke-permeable condition it functions as a smoke filter, and in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough.

14. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said partition is formed of compacted charcoal, whereby, when it is crumbled or broken into smoke-permeable condition, it functions as a smoke filter, and said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

-15. The cigarette of claim 8, in which said partition is formed of compacted charcoal, whereby, when it is crumbled or broken into smoke-permeable condition, it functions as a smoke filter, in which said mouthpiece section contains a flavoring substance active on the gas passing therethrough, and in which said enclosing means has an opening therethrough in registration with said tobacco section adjacent said partition.

16. A cigarette comprising an enclosing means and, therewithin, in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a artition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition normally being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, and a removable means operatively connected to said partition and effective when disconnected from said partition to render said partition smoke-permeable.

17. A cigarette comprising an enclosing mean and therewithin, in axially sequential arrangement, a tobacco section, a partition, and a mouthpiece section, said mouthpiece section having a gas-permeable exposed free end, said partition normally being gas-impermeable and said mouthpiece section being gas-permeable, and means operatively connected to said partition and effective when actuated to render said partition smoke-permeable, said last mentioned means comprising said partition being friable and said enclosing means being flexible at least in registration with said partition, whereby said partition may be crumbled or broken by pressure exerted thereon through said enclosing means, thereby to permit smoke to pass therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1937 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KORE-N, Primary Examiner.

15 D. J. DONOHUE, Assistant Examiner. 

16. A CIGARETTE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSING MEANS AND, THEREWITHIN, IN AXIALLY SEQUENTIAL ARRANGEMENT, A TOBACCO SECTION, A PARTITION, AND A MOUTHPIECE SECTION, SAID MOUTHPIECE SECTION HAVING A GAS-PERMEABLE EXPOSED FREE END, SAID PARTITION NORMALLY BEING GAS-IMPERMEABLE AND SAID MOUTHPIECE SECTION BEING GAS-PERMEABLE, AND A REMOVABLE 